Thomas Becket Head Reliquary Badge

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The ornate reliquary badge seen here was one of many unique types sold to pilgrims visiting the shrine of St Thomas Becket. St Thomas was brutally murdered in 1170 by Henry II's knights after a heated dispute over royal control of England's church. The remains of St Thomas Becket's skull were kept in an elaborately decorated bust-shaped reliquary, proudly displayed in the Corona chapel as a highlight for pilgrims to behold. After viewing the stunning corona reliquary, a pilgrim might decide to purchase a badge featuring it as a memento of their journey. Pilgrims' badges served as a symbol of the connection between the saint and the devoted individual who had undertaken the arduous pilgrimage to see the relic, conventionally worn on the pilgrim's hat or bag. Length: 88.65 mm Width: 45.81 mm